Today Is My Almost-Independence Day

I'm sitting here in a quiet house since the kids are with Peter until Sunday. Here I am, utterly independent Ellie, soon to be finally, officially divorced, seizing life by the horns and....

...sitting on the couch and watching the Twilight Zone marathon on SyFy because I have no plans and no invitations for today.

Whoo. Hoo.

But before I sit here and mope about the sad state of my social life, I do want to take a moment to be thankful that I live in a country where I have the opportunity to do just that. In some countries, I might not be allowed to exit a miserable marriage through any way other than death. In some countries, divorce might be a possibility, but earning a living wage as a woman isn't.

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So much we take for granted in the freedoms we enjoy, and today, I am incredibly grateful for them. I may not be watching fireworks tonight, but I'll be sitting in the comfort of the home I own, knowing my children are safe, with food in the cupboards and a job that I have to go to tomorrow. And all because multitudes of people across hundreds of years have worked together to keep freedom at the forefront and progress an imperative.

I thank them all for my life, my liberty, and my family's happiness today and every day.